For the purposes of this chapter, the following words and phrases shall have the meaning respectively ascribed to them by this section:
ALARM AGENT: Any person who is employed by an alarm business operator, either directly or indirectly, who does not respond to activated alarms but whose duties include any of the following: selling, maintaining, leasing, servicing, repairing, altering, installing, replacing, or moving on or in any building, structure or facility, any alarm system.
ALARM BUSINESS: The business of any person consisting of: selling and installing, maintaining, servicing, altering, replacing or moving any alarm system or component parts thereof in or on any building, structure or facility, or responding to alarm systems.
ALARM BUSINESS OPERATOR: Any person who operates any business engaged in the sale and installation, maintenance, alteration, or servicing of the alarm systems, or which responds to such alarm systems. Alarm business operator shall not include a business which merely sells from a fixed location or manufactures alarms systems, unless such business services, installs, monitors, or responds to alarm systems at protected premises.
ALARM SYSTEM: Any mechanical or electrical device designed to detect, or enable a person to notify others of, an unauthorized intrusion onto certain premises or the existence of an emergency on such premises, and which emits a sound or transmits a signal or message when activated. The following devices shall not constitute alarm systems within the meaning of this subsection:
(A) Devices which do not register alarms that are audible, visible, or perceptible outside the protected premises;
(B) Devices which are not installed, operated or used for the purpose of reporting an emergency to the police;
(C) Alarm devices affixed to motor vehicles; and
(D) Alarm devices installed on a temporary basis by the police department.
ANSWERING SERVICE: A telephone answering service providing among its services the receiving on a continuous basis through trained employees of emergency signals from alarm systems, and the subsequent immediate relaying of said messages by live voice to the communication center.
AUTOMATIC DIALING DEVICE: An alarm system which automatically sends over regular telephone lines, by direct connection or otherwise, a prerecorded voice message indicating the existence of the emergency situation that the alarm system is designed to detect.
CENTRAL STATION: An office to which alarm systems are connected, where operators supervise the circuits, and where guards and/or servicemen are maintained continuously to investigate signals.
DIRECT LINE: A telephone line leading directly from a central station to the communication center, where said line is used only to report emergency signals on a person to person basis.
EMERGENCY: The commission or attempted commission of a robbery or burglary.
FALSE ALARM: The activation of an alarm system which results in a response by the police where an emergency does not exist. False alarms which fall into the following two (2) categories shall not be counted against a permittee under subsection 6-14-11(B)2 of this chapter for the purposes of suspension or revocation of an alarm system permit:
(A) False alarms which the permittee can demonstrate in accordance with the provisions of subsection 6-14-11(B)2 of this chapter, were proximately caused by hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, or other violent acts of nature;
(B) False alarms which the permittee can demonstrate, in accordance with the provisions of subsection 6-14-11(B)2(a) of this chapter, were actually caused by the act of some person other than:
1. The permittee for the purpose of this subsection, the term "permittee" shall include officers, agents, employees, independent contractors, and any other persons subject to the direct or indirect control of the permittee;
2. The person who installed, connected, operated, maintained or serviced the alarm system;
3. The manufacturer of the alarm system, including the manufacturer's officers, agents, employees, independent contractors and any other persons subject to the direct or indirect control of the manufacturer.
INTERCONNECT: To connect an alarm system to a telephone line, either directly or through a mechanical device that utilizes a standard telephone, for the purpose of using the telephone line to transmit an emergency message upon the activation of the alarm system.
MODIFIED CENTRAL SYSTEM: An office to which alarm systems are connected, where operators supervise the circuits but where guards are not maintained to investigate alarm signals.
PERMITTEE: The person to whom an alarm system permit is issued.
PERSON: Shall include natural persons, without regard to number or gender, any partnership, corporation, and any other type of legal entity.
PRIMARY TRUNKLINE: A telephone line leading directly into the communication center for the purpose of handling emergency calls on a person to person basis, and which is identified as such by a specific number included among the emergency numbers listed in the telephone directory issued by the telephone company, covering the service area within the police department's jurisdiction.
SIREN: Any audible noise similar to that which must be sounded by an authorized emergency vehicle under the conditions set forth in section 21055 of the California Vehicle Code.
SPECIAL TRUNKLINE: A telephone line leading into the communication center and having the primary purpose of handling emergency signals or messages originating through a central station, modified central station or answering service. (Ord. 1243, 11-25-1980)